Cessna T188C accident near Austin, Minnesota, July 6, 1998
On July 6, 1998 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Cessna T188C, registered N9957J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Austin, Minnesota. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the improper maintenance by other maintenance personnel. Factors were the throttle control not safetied, the crops, and unsuitable terrain encountered by the pilot
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 6, 1998 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Austin, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T188C · all T188Cs on the register
- Registration
- N9957J · no longer on the register · serial T18803886T
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While on a swath run the engine suffered a loss of power. The pilot said that at 80 feet he was unable to avoid unsuitable terrain in his initiating a forced landing. After the accident it was found that a cotter pin had been left out of the throttle control during maintenance earlier on the day of the accident. A mechanic who had done the maintenance stated, 'I had it apart, and I think I just didn't safety it.'
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 964 hours in all; 258 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,363 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 5, 1998; 68 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,400 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-T (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AUM MN at 8:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,900 ft; scat at 2,100 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 77°F (25°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:35 pm from AUM, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N9957J the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.